Stocking up for the holidays

It is that time of year again when big gatherings of friends and family are a great idea, and along with these events comes the opportunity to try new wines to pair with our favorite holiday fare. The meals are robust, just like the crowds around our tables, and whether your tastes tend toward the more traditional meal preparations or something more adventurous there are plenty of wines at all price points to pair with them.

While recommended wines are a good way to go there are two upcoming events where you will be able to try some wine before you buy so you can pick precisely what agrees with your palate, although both events are scheduled for after the big Thanksgiving holiday. First, the winter wine rodeo is Saturday, Dec. 1 from 3-7 p.m. where you will be able to taste dozens of wines in one spot and pick out the ones that will be great for your holiday dinner or for gifts for the wine enthusiast on your list.

The second event will be a winemaker dinner and tasting with Brian Carter of Brian Carter Cellars over the weekend of Dec. 7-8. Brian is a master blender of varietals working with fruit from some of the best vineyards in Washington state. His wines are flat our fabulous and this will mark the first time he has left the winery and come to North Idaho for events like these. The dinner will be at Scratch in Coeur d'Alene on Friday and the tasting will be here at the shop on Saturday. For more details on all of these wine happenings give us a call here at the shop.

So for Thanksgiving here are some of our favorites that we have tasted over the last year that will go perfectly with this quintessential American holiday. We talked last year about the Paraiso Pinot Noir and as much as we always like to try new things, this is a Pinot that is so yummy and so perfect with anything poultry that we are compelled to recommend it yet again. We are on to the 2009 vintage, but the consistency of Scott Woodward and his team at Appellation Wine Company is so sound that the wine is every bit as good. Featuring cherry fruit aromas and flavors and just the right amount of earthiness the wine will be great on Thanksgiving and at $20 represents great value.

One of our favorite recommendations too is a white that can not only serve as a good aperitif, but also please the friends and family members that like something a little lighter, but also when served with Thanksgiving dinner can help balance the meal by cutting some of the richness. This year we have two we like; the Albarino from Ramon Bilbao is just so good and crisp that we could almost drink it throughout Thanksgiving Day. The wine is fermented dry but is vibrant with fruit flavors focused on ripe fall apples, and has enough acid to make it a great dinner wine too ($15).

Another choice is the Ribolla Gialla from Italian producer LaSclusa for $12. This ancient grape varietal grown in the Northeastern part of Italy near Venice has great acidity, citrus flavors and minerality that will also work well with a big rich meal but, is great on its own too.

While crisp whites will balance and Pinot Noir and lighter bodied reds may be the ideal pairing we still sometimes enjoy taking Thanksgiving a little over the top by selecting a Cab, Syrah or Zinfandel. If Cabernet is your choice the key is to select one with enough structure to carry the meal but not too much as the tannin will get emphasized by the richness of the food. We recommend both the 2010 Trim Cabernet from negotiant bottler Ray Signorello ($13), or the 2008 Three Rivers from Walla Walla. Both have good firm tannins combined with vibrant fruit to make them good choices.

For Zinfandel we recommend the 2010 Clarion Red from Renwood winery in Amador County in California $20. The wine is a blend of mostly Zin with some Syrah added and the jammy fruit flavors of the Zinfandel which predominate are really great with gamey fowl like Turkey.

If Syrah is your preference in full bodied wine you can't do much better than the 2008 Skylark Red Belly ($25). This Syrah-based blend like the Renwood carries enough fruit to highlight a turkey dinner and enough heft to stand up to the meal.

Whatever your choice in varietals for the holidays ask us here at the shop or your favorite wine professional for what does best with the holiday meal you are planning, or join us for the upcoming events to pick your own favorites. When the holidays approach and the gatherings grow larger it is truly the most wonderful time of the year for all wine enthusiasts.

If there is a topic you would like to read about or questions on wine you can email George@thedinnerpartyshop.com or make suggestions by contacting the Healthy Community section at the Coeur d'Alene Press.

George Balling is co-owner with his wife Mary Lancaster of the dinner party - a wine and table top decor shop in Coeur d'Alene by Costco. George is also the managing judge of The North Idaho Wine Rodeo and writes frequently for the online version of Coeur d'Alene Magazine at www.cdamagazine.com. You can learn more about the dinner party at www.thedinnerpartyshop.com. You can get all of these articles as well as other great wine tips by friending us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/dinnerpartyshop.